The National Executive Committee voted at our May 2024 meeting to approve a new policy, entitled “Policy on local organizing committees approved by the CAPE National Office.”
CAPE is committed to developing an organizing model of unionism, which requires rank-and-file members to actively organize their coworkers around issues of common concern.
As such, CAPE locals will periodically be asked to form organizing committees in their locals, subject to CAPE national office approval. These committees will be empowered to carry out a variety of organizing tasks on a given campaign. For the sake of this policy, “local organizing committee” (LOC) refers exclusively to those LOCs called for by the national office to implement an approved national campaign. LOCs will need to be approved by the national office before beginning their work.
Please refer to the link above and read all the details carefully.
At this time, I am now calling for local organizing committees to be formed on two emerging approved national campaigns:
- Telework rights
- Phoenix escalation
Please work with coworkers in your local to do the following:
- Compile a list with names and personal emails of at least five CAPE members in good standing. Note that non-CAPE members can join the LOC but cannot act as chair or co-chair.
- Select and clearly name up to five co-chairs to lead the LOC. Co-chairs must be CAPE members in good standing, as they will then have additional responsibilities and will be required to sign a solemn declaration.
- In a written proposal, clearly state which approved national campaign the LOC is proposed for, along with the list of proposed LOC members.
- Consult your local executive, where one exists. Proof of engagement with your local executive must be included in your proposal submission. Note that local executives can of course sit on the LOC but cannot deny rank-and-file members the right to form or join an LOC. Local executives should notify the president’s office of any concerns they may have about an LOC proposal in their local as soon as possible.
- Submit your proposal by email to the president’s office at president@acep-cape.ca and cc’ing CAPE’s lead organizer, Chelsea Flook, at cflook@acep-cape.ca.
- Await further information on approval and on scheduling an initial organizer training for an approved LOC.
